text:
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Event info
SkyTribe XC 2014 will be a FAI 2 event, the first stage of Romanian Open and also the 1st stage of Romanian League. It will be the first FAI-2 competition held in the area of Retezat National Park. Alternative date in case of non flyable weather will be 7-11 of May.
Expand page for more detailsFlying site
Clopotiva is part of the Retezat National Park (http://retezat.ro), one of the highest and most beautiful mountain ranges in Romania. The highest peak is Peleaga, altitude 2509 meters. It's a peak that can be reached fairly easy, crossing from Pelegii meadow.
Expand page for more details- left before start of event
Prize funds and scoring categories
- Overall
- Women
- Fun
- Sport
- Romanian
General questions
- Valeriu Jurca
- +40723593424
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Event info
SkyTribe XC 2014 will be a FAI 2 event, the first stage of Romanian Open and also the 1st stage of Romanian League. It will be the first FAI-2 competition held in the area of Retezat National Park. Alternative date in case of non flyable weather will be 7-11 of May. Retezat National Park and Clopotiva take off is a place where our club (SkyTribe) pilots are flying most of the year. SkyTribe XC 2014 will be also the Romanian National Championship 2014, PWCA Class 1 Selective Event.
Selection and entry fee
Entry fee
60 Euro for all participants. (63,11 € for PayPal payments).
Registration validation: The registration is only valid once the organization has received the registration fee. Payment methods: Bank Transfer, Cash, PayPal
Bank Transfer
Please transfer € 60,- to:
Organisation Name: Club Sportiv Skytribe
BANK: BCR Timisoara, Romania
Please don't forget to send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com when the payment is complete.
Prize fund and scoring categories
• Overall
• Teams
• Sport Class (EN-C, LTF/DHV 2)
• Fun Class (EN-B, LTF/DHV 1-2)
• Woman
General schedule
Official Registration and Training Day
18:00-21:00 Registration
Thursday, 08 May, 2014
09:00-11:00 Registration
11:00 Mandatory Safety Briefing
12:00 Competition day
Friday, 09 May - Sunday, 11 May, 2014
Competition days
Sunday, 11 May, 2014
19:00 Prize giving ceremony
Daily schedule
09:00 - Deadline for the previous day protests
10:00 - Daily briefing and transportation to Take off
Any other schedule items are subject to Meet Director regulations
Accommodation and Activities
How to get here
The headquarters will be located in La Doctorelu Pension in the town of Clopotiva, aprox. 20 km from the city of Hateg.
Please contact Croco (aka Valeriu Jurca) if you have any travel problems or questions. by phone +40-723593424 or by email email@example.com
Clopotiva, La Doctorelu Pension
Clopotiva Romania
Main Airports that you may use:
Timisoara (LRTR/TSR), 157 km by car to Clopotiva
Cluj (LRCL/CLJ), 203 km by car to Clopotiva
Sibiu (LRSB/SBZ), 154 km by car to Clopotiva
Bucharest (LROP/OTP), 434 km by car to Clopotiva
You have to travel to the city of Hateg.
You can use the http://www.autogari.ro/?lang=en website for bus information.
Timisoara: 157 km to Clopotiva via DN6/E70 and DN68 http://goo.gl/maps/FwZx1
Cluj: 203 km to Clopotiva via DN1/E81 http://goo.gl/maps/SAooQ
Sibiu: 154 km to Clopotiva via A1 and DB66/E79 http://goo.gl/maps/kY0Px
Bucharest: 434 km to Clopotiva via A1/E81 and DN7 http://goo.gl/maps/rdlrf
Waypoint files
Tel: +40 (729) 009 619
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact person: Valentin Nagy, President
Email: email@example.com
Tel: +40 (723) 245 924
Email: email@example.com
Tel: +40 (723) 593 424
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com,
Tel: +40 (0)747 025 193
Email: email@example.com
Tel: +40 (0)729 009 619
Email: email@example.com
Tel: +40 (742) 090 554
General questions
- Valeriu Jurca
- +40723593424
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Category | Tagline | Participant | Phone | Description | Price |
Heading towards prePWC!
So SXC is done, after 5 days we are happy! It's crazy May and we managed to have 3 tasks out of 4 days, and 2 were valid. And actually it was pretty good, pilots got together and had good time, flying was also good for most of them. Nature in this part of the country is beautiful but the rain we had before made it spectacular, everything was green and you could still see the snow on the crest of the mountain. After first training day when everyone made several hours of flying with cloudbase around 1800 meters we had a dark day with many clouds threatening to rain, but we were lucky to have an opening of 2 hours to fly, still, the elapsed time task was stopped and cancelled because of some raindrops over the takeoff, and then on the third day we had first valid task, with generous clouds and decent thermals, cloudbase started at 1500 meters and later in the day grew up to 2200 meters high. Again some pilots flew for 4 hours and a half. On the fourth day the wind was blowing strong from aside so we had to cancel the day, people just went into the mountains. Retezat is a natural reserve park and there are plenty of stuff to see in the area. Last day was promising and indeed it was good, cloudbase over 2500 meters with climbs over 6 m/sec, pilots enjoyed the high view over the mountain in the back. At the end we have seen happy faces, most pilots had a very good competition, exchanging knowledge and interacting to each other in their culture. So, we think SXC was a success, that's why we decided to make a prePWC here next year from 8-14 June 2015. Watch SkyTribe video about the event! Feel the spirit :) http://youtu.be/341oMEdR08g


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The Story of the Glittering Plain - Chapter 5
THEY COME UNTO THE ISLE OF RANSOMSo the sun grew low, and it set; the stars and the moon shone a while and then it clouded over. Hallblithe still rowed and rested not, though he was weary; and the big man sat and steered, and held his peace. But when the night was grown old and it was not far from the dawn, the alien said: "Youngling of the Ravens, now shalt thou sleep and I will row." Hallblithe was exceeding weary; so he gave the oars to the alien and lay down in the stern and slept. And in his sleep he dreamed that he was lying in the House of the Raven, and his sisters came to him and said, "Rise up now, Hallblithe! wilt thou be a sluggard on the day of thy wedding? Come thou with us to the House of the Rose that we may bear away the Hostage." Then he dreamed that they departed, and he arose and clad himself: but when he would have gone out of the hall, then was it no longer daylight, but moonlight, and he dreamed that he had dreamed: nevertheless he would have gone abroad, but might not find the door; so he said he would go out by a window; but the wall was high and smooth (quite other than in the House of the Raven, where were low windows all along one aisle), nor was there any way to come at them. But he dreamed that he was so abashed thereat, and had such a weakness on him, that he wept for pity of himself: and he went to his bed to lie down; and lo! there was no bed and no hall; nought but a heath, wild and wide, and empty under the moon. And still he wept in his dream, and his manhood seemed departed from him, and he heard a voice crying out, "Is this the Land? Is this the Land?" Therewithal he awoke, and as his eyes cleared he beheld the big man rowing and the black sail flapping against the mast; for the wind had fallen dead and they were faring on over a long smooth swell of the sea. It was broad daylight, but round about them was a thick mist, which seemed none the less as if the sun were ready to shine through it. As Hallblithe caught the red man's eye, he smiled and nodded on him and said: "Now has the time come for thee first to eat and then to row. But tell me what is that upon thy cheeks?" Hallblithe, reddening somewhat, said: "The night dew hath fallen on me." Quoth the sea-rover, "It is no shame for thee a youngling to remember thy betrothed in thy sleep, and to weep because thou lackest her. But now bestir thee, for it is later than thou mayest deem." Therewith the big man drew in the oars and came to the afterpart of the boat, and drew meat and drink out of a locker thereby; and they ate and drank together, and Hallblithe grew strong and somewhat less downcast; and he went forward and gat the oars into his hands. Then the big red man stood up and looked over his left shoulder and said: "Soon shall we have a breeze and bright weather." Then he looked into the midmost of the sail and fell a-whistling such a tune as the fiddles play to dancing men and maids at Yule-tide, and his eyes gleamed and glittered therewithal, and exceeding big he looked. Then Hallblithe felt a little air on his cheek, and the mist grew thinner, and the sail began to fill with wind till the sheet tightened: then, lo! the mist rising from the face of the sea, and the sea's face rippling gaily under a bright sun. Then the wind increased, and the wall of mist departed and a few light clouds sped over the sky, and the sail swelled and the boat heeled over, and the seas fell white from the prow, and they sped fast over the face of the waters. Then laughed the red-haired man, and said: "O croaker on the dead branch, now is the wind such that no rowing of thine may catch up with it: so in with the oars now, and turn about, and thou shalt see whitherward we are going." Then Hallblithe turned about on the thwart and looked across the sea, and lo! before them the high cliffs and crags and mountains of a new land which seemed to be an isle, and they were deep blue under the sun, which now shone aloft in the mid heaven. He said nought at all, but sat looking and wondering what land it might be; but the big man said: "O tomb of warriors, is it not as if the blueness of the deep sea had heaved itself up aloft, and turned from coloured air into rock and stone, so wondrous blue it is? But that is because those crags and mountains are so far away, and as we draw nigher to them, thou shalt see them as they verily are, that they are coal-black; and yonder land is an isle, and is called the Isle of Ransom. Therein shall be the market for thee where thou mayst cheapen thy betrothed. There mayst thou take her by the hand and lead her away thence, when thou hast dealt with the chapman of maidens and hast pledged thee by the fowl of battle, and the edge of the fallow blade to pay that which he will have of thee." As the big man spoke there was a mocking in his voice and his face and in his whole huge body, which made the sword of Hallblithe uneasy in his scabbard; but he refrained his wrath, and said: "Big man, the longer I look, the less I can think how we are to come up on to yonder island; for I can see nought but a huge cliff, and great mountains rising beyond it." "Thou shalt the more wonder," said the alien, "the nigher thou drawest thereto; for it is not because we are far away that thou canst see no beach or strand, or sloping of the land seaward, but because there is nought of all these things. Yet fear not! am I not with thee? thou shalt come ashore on the Isle of Ransom." Then Hallblithe held his peace, and the other spake not for a while, but gave a short laugh once or twice; and said at last in a big voice, "Little Carrion-biter, why dost thou not ask me of my name?" Now Hallblithe was a tall man and a fell fighter; but he said: "Because I was thinking of other things and not of thee." "Well," said the big man, in a voice still louder, "when I am at home men call me the Puny Fox." Then Hallblithe said: "Art thou a Fox? It may well be that thou shalt beguile me as such beasts will but look to it, that if thou dost I shall know how to avenge me." Then rose up the big man from the helm, and straddled wide in the boat, and cried out in a great roaring voice: "Crag-nester, I am one of seven brethren, and the smallest and weakest of them. Art thou not afraid?" "No," said Hallblithe, "for the six others are not here. Wilt thou fight here in boat, O Fox?" "Nay," said Fox, "rather we will drink a cup of wine together." So he opened the locker again and drew out thence a great horn of some huge neat of the outlands, which was girthed and stopped with silver, and also a golden cup, and he filled the cup from the horn and gave it into Hallblithe's hand and said: "Drink, O black-fledged nestling! But call a health over the cup if thou wilt." So Hallblithe raised the cup aloft and cried: "Health to the House of the Raven and to them that love it! an ill day to its foemen!" Then he set his lips to the cup and drank; and that wine seemed to him better and stronger than any he had ever tasted. But when he had given the cup back again to Fox, that red one filled it again, and cried over it, "The Treasure of the Sea! and the King that dieth not!" Then he drank, and filled again for Hallblithe, and steered with his knees meanwhile; and thus they drank three cups each, and Fox smiled and was peaceful and said but little, but Hallblithe sat wondering how the world was changed for him since yesterday. But now was the sky blown all clear of clouds and the wind piped shrill behind them, and the great waves rose and fell about them, and the sun glittered on them in many colours. Fast flew the boat before the wind as though it would never stop, and the day was waning, and the wind still rising; and now the Isle of Ransom uphove huge before them, and coal-black, and no beach and no haven was to be seen therein; and still they ran before the wind towards that black cliff-wall, against which the sea washed for ever, and no keel ever built by man might live for one moment 'twixt the surf and the cliff of that grim land. The sun grew low, and sank red under the sea, and that world of stone swallowed up half the heavens before them, for they were now come very nigh thereto; nor could Hallblithe see aught for it, but that they must be dashed against the cliff and perish in a moment of time. Still the boat flew on; but now when the twilight was come, and they had just opened up along reach of the cliff that lay beyond a high ness, Hallblithe thought he saw down by the edge of the sea something darker than the face of the rock-wall, and he deemed it was a cave: they came a little nearer and he saw it was a great cave high enough to let a round-ship go in with all her sails set. "Son of the Raven," quoth Fox, "hearken, for thy heart is not little. Yonder is the gate into the Isle of Ransom, and if thou wilt, thou mayst go through it. Yet it may be that if thou goest ashore on to the Isle something grievous shall befall thee, a trouble more than thou canst bear: a shame it may be. Now there are two choices for thee: either to go up on to the Isle and face all; or to die here by my hand having done nothing unmanly or shameful: What sayest thou?" "Thou art of many words when time so presses, Fox," said Hallblithe. "Why should I not choose to go up on to the Island to deliver my trothplight maiden? For the rest, slay me if thou canst, if we come alive out of this cauldron of waters." Said the big red man: "Look on then, and note Fox how he steereth, as it were through a needle's eye." Now were they underneath the black shadow of the black cliff and amidst the twilight the surf was tossed about like white fire. In the lower heavens the stars were beginning to twinkle and the moon was bright and yellow, and aloft all was peaceful, for no cloud sullied the sky. One moment Hallblithe saw all this hanging above the turmoil of thundering water and dripping rock and the next he was in the darkness of the cave, the roaring wind and the waves still making thunder about him, though of a different voice from the harsh hubbub without. Then he heard Fox say: "Sit down now and take the oars, for presently shall we be at home at the landing place." So Hallblithe took the oars and rowed, and as they went up the cave the sea fell, and the wind died out into the aimless gustiness of hollow places; and for a little while was all as dark as dark might be. Then Hallblithe saw that the darkness grew a little greyer, and he looked over his shoulder and saw a star of light before the bows of the boat, and Fox cried out: "Yea, it is like day; bright will the moon be for such as needs must be wayfaring to-night! Cease rowing, O Son of the coal-blue fowl, for there is way enough on her." Then Hallblithe lay on his oars, and in a minute the bows smote the land; then he turned about and saw a steep stair of stone, and up the sloping shaft thereof the moonlit sky and the bright stars. Then Fox arose and came forward and leapt out of the boat and moored her to a big stone: then he leapt back again and said: "Bear a hand with the victuals; we must bring them out of the boat unless thou wilt sleep supperless, as I will not. For to-night must we be guests to ourselves, since it is far to the dwelling of my people, and the old man is said to be a skin-changer, a flit-by-night. And as to this cave, it is deemed to be nowise safe to sleep therein, unless the sleeper have a double share of luck. And thy luck, meseemeth, O Son of the Raven, is as now somewhat less than a single share. So to-night we shall sleep under the naked heaven." Hallblithe yea-said this, and they took the meat and drink, such as they needed, from out the boat, and climbed the steep stair no little way, and so came out on to a plain place, which seemed to Hallblithe bare and waste so far as he saw it by the moonlight; for the twilight was gone now, and nought was left of the light of day save a glimmer in the west. This Hallblithe deemed wonderful, that no less out on the open heath and brow of the land than in the shut-in cave, all that tumult of the wind had fallen, and the cloudless night was calm, and with a little air blowing from the south and the landward. Therewithal was Fox done with his loud-voiced braggart mood, and spoke gently and peaceably like to a wayfarer, who hath business of his to look to as other men. Now he pointed to certain rocks or low crags that a little way off rose like a reef out of the treeless plain; then said he: "Shipmate, underneath yonder rocks is our resting-place for to-night; and I pray thee not to deem me churlish that I give thee no better harbour. But I have a charge over thee to bring thee safe thus far on thy quest; and thou wouldst find it hard to live among such housemates as thou wouldst find up yonder amongst our folks to-night. But tomorrow shalt thou come to speech with him who will deal with thee concerning the ransom." "It is enough," said Hallblithe, "and I thank thee for thy leading: and as for thy rough and uncomely words which thou hast given me, I pardon thee for them: for I am none the worse of them: forsooth, if I had been, my sword would have had a voice in the matter." "I am well content as it is, Son of the Raven," quoth Fox; "I have done my bidding and all is well." "Tell me then who it is hath bidden thee bring me hither?" "I may not tell thee," said Fox; "thou art here, be content, as I am." And he spake no more till they had come to the reef aforesaid, which was some two furlongs from the place where they had come from out of the cave. There then they set forth their supper on the stones, and ate what they would, and drank of that good strong wine while the horn bare out. And now was Fox of few words, and when Hallblithe asked him concerning that land, he had little to say. And at last when Hallblithe asked him of that so perilous house and those who manned it, he said to him: "Son of the Raven, it avails not asking of these matters; for if I tell thee aught concerning them I shall tell thee lies. Once again let it be enough for thee that thou hast passed over the sea safely on thy quest; and a more perilous sea it is forsooth than thou deemest. But now let us have an end of vain words, and make our bed amidst these stones as best we may; for we should be stirring betimes in the morning." Hallblithe said little in answer, and they arrayed their sleeping places cunningly, as the hare doth her form, and like men well used to lying abroad. Hallblithe was very weary and he soon fell asleep; and as he lay there, he dreamed a dream, or maybe saw a vision; whether he were asleep when he saw it, or between sleeping and waking, I know not. But this was his dream or his vision; that the Hostage was standing over him, and she as he had seen her but yesterday, bright-haired and ruddy-cheeked and white-skinned, kind of hand and soft of voice, and she said to him: "Hallblithe, look on me and hearken, for I have a message for thee." And he looked and longed for her, and his soul was ravished by the sweetness of his longing, and he would have leapt up and cast his arms about her, but sleep and the dream bound him, and he might not. Then the image smiled on him and said: "Nay, my love, lie still, for thou mayst not touch me: here is but the image of the body which thou desirest. Hearken then. I am in evil plight, in the hands of strong-thieves of the sea, nor know I what they will do with me, and I have no will to be shamed; to be sold for a price from one hand to another, yet to be bedded without a price, and to lie beside some foe-man of our folk, and he to cast his arms about me, will I, will I not: this is a hard case. Therefore to-morrow morning at daybreak while men sleep, I think to steal forth to the gunwale of the black ship and give myself to the gods, that they and not these runagates may be masters of my life and my soul, and may do with me as they will: for indeed they know that I may not bear the strange kinless house, and the love and caressing of the alien house-master, and the mocking and stripes of the alien house-mistress. Therefore let the Hoary One of the sea take me and look to my matters, and carry me to life or death, which-so he will. Thin now grows the night, but lie still a little yet, while I speak another word. "Maybe we shall meet alive again, and maybe not: and if not, though we have never yet lain in one bed together, yet I would have thee remember me: yet not so that my image shall come between thee and thy speech-friend and bed-fellow of the kindred, that shall lie where I was to have lain. Yet again, if I live and thou livest, I have been told and have heard that by one way or other I am like to come to the Glittering Plain, and the Land of Living Men. O my beloved, if by any way thou mightest come thither also, and we might meet there, and we two alive, how good it were! Seek that land then, beloved! seek it, whether or no we once more behold the House of the Rose, or tread the floor of the Raven dwelling. And now must even this image of me sunder from thee. Farewell!" Therewith was the dream done and the vision departed; and Hallblithe sat up full of anguish and longing; and he looked about him over the dreary land, and it was somewhat light and the sky was grown grey and cloudy, and he deemed that the dawn was come. So he leapt to his feet and stooped down over Fox, and took him by the shoulder, and shook him and said: "Faring-fellow, awake! the dawn is come, and we have much to do." Fox sat up and growled like a dog, and rubbed his eyes and looked about him and said: "Thou hast waked me for nought: it is the false dawn of the moon that shineth now behind the clouds and casteth no shadow; it is but an hour after midnight. Go to sleep again, and let me be, else will I not be a guide to thee when the day comes." And he lay down and was asleep at once. Then Hallblithe went and lay down again full of sorrow: Yet so weary was he that he presently fell asleep, and dreamed no more. |

subset: commoncrawl


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ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopian police have arrested 15 suspected militants allegedly trained by Islamist rebels in neighbouring Somalia and who were plotting attacks in Ethiopia, the country's intelligence agency said on Wednesday.
The arrests were the latest in a crackdown on what senior officials say is a growing threat from militant Islam in Ethiopia, a Horn of Africa nation
predominantly comprised of Orthodox Christians and a large minority of Muslims.
The would-be militants were caught following a 20-day sting operation while they plotted to set up cells in the eastern town of Harar and in Kemise in the northeast, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) said.
"Members of the group were recruited, trained and armed by Somalia's al Shabaab and their aim was to wage Jihad [holy war] and stage attacks inside the country," an NISS statement said, aired by the state-run Ethiopian Television.
Addis Ababa has sent troops to Somalia to help other African countries battling to crush al Shabaab's six-year insurgency.
The suspects, whose nationalities were not disclosed, were said to have crossed into Ethiopia from Somalia and Kenya.
Wednesday's TV report showed police displaying large amounts of arms including rifles and grenades, as well as black flags with Arabic inscriptions. The report said CDs and video tapes of "jihadist messages" were also seized during the operation.
On Tuesday, an Ethiopian court convicted 10 other militants of preparing strikes on political and economic targets in Ethiopia with the help of Somalia's al Qaeda-allied al Shabaab.
Muslims in Ethiopia staged several mass protests last year against perceived interference in Islamic affairs. Several leaders of a committee that led the protests now face trial.
Ethiopia fought Islamist rebels in Somalia in 2006-2009 and sent troops back in 2011 to fight al Shabaab, opening a third front alongside Kenyan troops and an African Union mission.
The onslaught on rebels in Somalia has gained ground in the past two years. Al Shabaab withdrew from the southern port of Kismayu in September, its last major urban stronghold, heralding its demise as a quasi-conventional military force.


text:
Opened by Michael Lauber and chef Jerry Thomas, the New York-style deli offers traditional European Jewish fare, including corned beef, pastrami, latkes, knishes, chopped liver and New York-style cheese cake.
A specialty is the Malawach sandwich.
Served open-faced, a Malawach is an Israeli-Yemenite flat bread, pan fried and covered in shredded chicken breast and other ingredients of the customer's choosing.
In addition, Randabi's offers a vegetarian Middle Eastern Israeli menu featuring Falafel, Hummus, Baba Ganoush and more.
Deli hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Eat in, delivery, take-out and catering. randabis.com, 925-2818.
Randabi's Deli, 6550 Gateway Ave., Sarasota.
Published in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Business Weekly on August 26, 2013.


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Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Lizard, Fine Nib
Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen. With its balanced brass barrel, stainless steel clip and contemporary design, the Metropolitan offers both style and writing comfort. Outfitted with the Pilot ink cartridge in black. Also includes a Pilot aerometric converter (squeeze type) for use with bottled ink. Each Metropolitan is merchandised in an elegant Pilot gift box. Refills available under Pilot Refills - utilizes the Pilot/Namiki ink cartridge refill. Fine nib.
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.


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From Andre Farkes, owner of Viaje: "What is Viaje? I get asked this question a lot. Viaje is a boutique cigar company specializing in the small batch approach to cigar making. Viaje represents the idea that quality is better than quantity. That small is better than big. That few are better than many.
Why small batch? Well, there are many reasons. Quality, consistency and most importantly, this is where I get my inspiration. If you enjoy mass produced cigars, you are in the wrong place. We use tobacco sparingly to execute our vision of what a cigar should look and taste like. Viaje represents the boutique in every sense of the word. This is what I enjoy, this is what I provide, and this is my promise. Join us in the revolution against mediocrity."


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Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Spotlight on Christina Berry and The Familiar Stranger
CHRISTINA BERRY is a single mother and foster parent who carves time to write from her busy schedule because she must tell the stories that haunt her every waking moment. (Such is the overly dramatic description of an author's life!) She holds a BA in Literature, yet loves a good Calculus problem, as well. Her debut novel, The Familiar Stranger, releases from Moody in September and deals with lies, secrets, and themes of forgiveness in a troubled marriage. A moving speaker and dynamic teacher, Christina strives to Live Transparently--Forgive Extravagantly!
Her work has also appeared in The Secret Place, The Oregonian, and Daily Devotions for Writers. Find her at www.christinaberry.net and authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com.
by Christina Berry
Published by Moody Publishers
Craig Littleton's decision to end his marriage would shock his wife, Denise...if she knew what he was up to. When an accident lands Craig in the ICU, with fuzzy memories of his own life and plans, Denise rushes to his side, ready to care for him.
They embark on a quest to help Craig remember who he is and, in the process, discover dark secrets. What will she do when she realizes he's not the man she thought he was? Is this trauma a blessing in disguise, a chance for a fresh start? Or will his secrets destroy the life they built together?
Readers, buy your copy of The Familiar Stranger today!
1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?
In the summer of 2006, two stories appeared in the newspaper. One was a huge, national story; the other a smaller, local-interest item. I wondered what it might look like if those two stories conceived a child. Boom! I had the entire plot for The Familiar Stranger. It will be interesting to see if readers can figure out which stories inspired the book.
2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?
Any character has some aspect of my personality, for better or worse. I can only write what I know. I've seen a richness develop in my writing as I've grown in my faith and walked through some valleys in the last decade.
Denise and Craig's story is based on the lessons of forgiveness God taught me when my marriage fell apart...the first time. Accordingly, many of the emotions Denise goes through correspond to what I felt, though our situations differ. However, I also wanted to really understand the male perspective, so Craig had parts of me in him as well. The path away from God and following temptation is something we can all recognize and, unfortunately, identify with.
During the editing process and years after my husband and I reunited, our marriage of thirteen years unexpectedly ended. The words I had written as a happily married woman ministered to me in my singleness. My heart's hope is that this book will lead people to Live Transparently—Forgive Extravagantly!
3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?
My hero would be Double Fudge. Hidden secrets means he's lying in both his professional and personal lives, but he has the potential to be delicious. Oh, and lots of women are attracted to him, which tends to be true of chocolate. ;)
Denise I would describe as a lemon sherbet. She's blonde, a little bit tart while still refreshing, and worried about calories!
4. Are there any themes in The Familiar Stranger that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?
If reading The Familiar Stranger makes even one man or woman be more honest with his or her spouse or delve into trust issues in a healthy way, I'll consider it a success. The recent changes in my life—losing my husband, facing finding a "real" job, selling my home—have done nothing but solidify what I hope to be the theme of the book and my life: Live Transparently—Forgive Extravagantly. Maybe there's a hurting heart that can find a new path to forgiveness because of the story.
5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?
Most difficult part to write: I was in the middle of revisions when my marriage fell apart. God orchestrated it so that I was beefing up a "struggle with forgiveness" scene in those first few weeks of singleness. While aspects of that were hard to deal with, the very words I thought would help someone else ministered to me.
Favorite: I have a scene involving a Krispy Kreme donut that was particularly tantalizing to write. I laugh every time I read it. Also, I had to take a research trip to Multnomah Falls in the gorgeous Columbia Gorge. Using the beauty of that place in a scene was a lot of fun.
6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?
I'm about 1/5 of the way through my next manuscript, Unafraid, a story about a girl's kidnapping, and how her life unfolds because of the trauma. One of my characters is a PI, so I'm having loads of fun with the research.
The humor Sherrie Ashcraft (my sometime co-author and always mother) and I display in our infrequent, humorous newsletters has garnered the attention of an editor. You just might see a funny, non-fiction cooperative work from the Ashberry Ladies at some point in time. You can sign up for that newsletter at www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx. By signing up, you will be entered to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle or free books for the life of my writing career.
Oh, and I have a funky TV-based devotional a house is interested in. Busy, busy, busy!
* * * * *
Thank you, Christina, for being in the spotlight with us.
Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of The Familiar Stranger.
Christina will be doing TWO drawings for two TEN-BOOK GIVEAWAYS. The first will take place on September 30th, her birthday. She will draw 10 names, then repeat the process on October 31st. You could be 1 of the 20 winners!
Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.
And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when the winners are announced each time.
This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.
* * * * *
Tuesday, 9/1
Jennifer AlLee http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 9/2
Tiffany Amber Stockon http://amberstockton.blogspot.com
Thursday, 9/3
Cara Putman http://carasmusings.blogspot.com
Friday, 9/4
Writing Career Coach Blog http://writingcareercoach.blogspot.com
Saturday, 9/5
Sherrie Ashcraft http://www.sherrieashcraft.blogspot.com
Sunday, 9/6
Edwina Cowgill http://musingsofedwina.blogspot.com
Monday, 9/7
Nikki Raichart http://beinggratefullygrounded.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 9/8
Patricia Woodside http://readinnwritin.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 9/9
Jody Hedlund http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com
Thursday, 9/10
Dawn King http://momofkings.wordpress.com
Friday, 9/11
Grace Bridges http://splashdownreviews.blogspot.com
Saturday, 9/12
Laura Hilton http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com
Sunday, 9/13
Bette Bantz http://bantzbooks.com/Blogspot-Review.html
Monday, 9/14
Stormi Johnson http://bookblogs.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user=ladystorm30
Tuesday, 9/15
Michelle Shocklee http://michelleshocklee.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 9/16
Robin Johns Grant http://dimensionsartandeternity.blogspot.com
Thursday, 9/17
Novel Journey http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com
Friday, 9/18
Tracy Ruckman http://www.pixnpens.com
Saturday, 9/19
Karin Beery http://therehastobeabeginning.blogspot.com
Sunday, 9/20
Glynn Young http://faithfictionfriends.blogspot.com
Monday. 9/21
Sharon Ball http://www.sharonball.com
Tuesday, 9/22
Cathy Bryant http://wordvessel.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 9/23
Roseanna White http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com
Thursday, 9/24
Ashley Weis http://blog.ashleyweis.com
Friday, 9/25
Brenda Anderson http://spirereviews.blogspot.com
Saturday, 9/26
Krista Phillips http://reflectionsbykrista.blogspot.com
Sunday, 9/27
Debra Ullrick http://christianromancewriter.blogspot.com
Monday, 9/28
Chila "Maggie" Woychik http://msghomeschoolauthors.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 9/29
Lyn Cote http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 9/30
Cindy Loven http://cindystamps.blogspot.com
Thursday, 10/1
Patty Wysong, Part 1 http://pattywysong.blogspot.com
Friday, 10/2
Patty Wysong, Part 2 http://pattywysong.blogspot.com
Saturday, 10/3
Jeannie Campbell http://charactertherapist.blogspot.com
Sunday, 10/4
Christa Allan http://christaallan.com/blog
Monday, 10/5
Jaime Wright Sundsmo http://thejaimereports.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 10/6
Miralee Ferrell http://www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 10/7
Martha Rogers http://marthasbooks.blogspot.com
Thursday, 10/8
Delores Liesner http://www.examiner.com/x-8081-Milaukee-Christian-Living-Examiner
Friday, 10/9
Ann Shorey http://annshorey.blogspot.com
Saturday, 10/10
Lil Duncan http://www.examiner.com/x-12639-Cleveland-Christian-Books-Examiner
Sunday, 10/11
Winter Peck http://www.rodeosuspense.com/?page_id=5
Monday, 10/12
Lisa Lickel http://lisalickel.com/cgi- bin/blog
Tuesday, 10/13
Mara Kim http://marakim.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 10/14
Jodie Bailey http://jodiebailey.blogspot.com
Thursday, 10/15
Deborah Vogts http://www.deborahvogts.blogspot.com
Friday, 10/16
Susan Reinhardt http://susanjreinhardt.blogspot.com
Saturday, 10/17
Annette Irby http://annetteirbyreviews.blogspot.com
Sunday, 10/18
Beth Wiseman http://blog.bethwiseman.net
Monday, 10/19
Tammy Bowers http://writesteps.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 10/20
Margie Vawter http://marjorievawter.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 10/21
Lynette Sowell http://myslicesoflife.blogspot.com
Thursday, 10/22
Trish Perry http://trishperry.blogspot.com
Friday, 10/23
Jude Urbanski http://judeurbanski.blogstream.com
Saturday, 10/24
Brenda Jackson http://bkjackson.blogspot.com
Sunday, 10/25
Kristen Johnson http://adventuresofhistorygirl.blogspot.com
Monday, 10/26
Carla Stewart http://carlastewart.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 10/27
Jean Kiney http://kystorywriter.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 10/28
Angie Breidenbach http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com
Thursday, 10/29
Linda Rondeau http://lindarondeau.blogspot.com
Friday, 10/30
Camy Tang http://camys-loft.blogspot.com
Saturday, 10/31
Rose McCauley http://rosemccauley.blogspot.com
19 comments:
- Lady Araujo said...
I've heard this book is really amazing. I'd love to win it. Please, enter me.
marthanadnny(at)hotmail(dot)com - September 02, 2009 1:48 PM
- Christina Tarabochia said...
Thank you, Tiffany, for hosting this. I really liked thinking about the ice cream flavors! Yum. :)
Lady Araujo, best of luck! Just keep following the tour around and you'll have LOTS of chances. - September 02, 2009 1:54 PM
- mariska said...
Wow..what a long book's Tour that you have : )
Hi Christina, I've been following you around lately, to make sure that i have the chance to win your fabulous book!
The Ice cream thing makes me laugh and 'YUM' :D
cuniquas at gmail dot com - September 02, 2009 10:52 PM
- Jeanette Levellie said...
What a delicious interview! I love the phrase "forgive extravagantly." And that you walked through it while writing makes it so meaningful.
Please enter my name in the drawing. Now I'm hungry to read this book...
Thank you!
Audience of ONE - September 03, 2009 9:01 AM
- Cherie J said...
I enjoyed the spotlight. This sounds like a wonderful book. Please enter me in the drawing.
cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com - September 03, 2009 3:19 PM
- Christina Tarabochia said...
It's been a pleasure to share what God is doing in my life through this book. Thanks for following, ladies!
- September 04, 2009 4:39 AM
- Lori (sugarandgrits) said...
WOW ~ you're going to be busy! You might want to stock up on ice cream, before you're too tired to run out and get it! :D
Your books sounds wonderful, I can't wait to give it try.
~ Lori
http://sugarandgrits.blogspot.com - September 04, 2009 10:54 AM
- Linda said...
Great books. Please enter me. Thanks.
desertrose5173 at gmail com - September 04, 2009 12:53 PM
I would love to win The Familiar Stranger as well as the other books Christina will offer. Please
enter me. Thanks.
jackie.smith(at)dishmail(dot)net - September 04, 2009 10:05 PM
- Molly said...
The books sound really wonderful! Please enter me!
mollydawn1981(at)aol(dot)com - September 06, 2009 6:19 AM
Please enter me! Blessings!!!
connieed53(at)aol(dot)com - September 06, 2009 6:20 AM
- squiresj said...
First off congratulations on the book. Secondly Happy Birthday early. I enjoyed this blog. The book sounds interesting and I'd love to win it.
God bless and annoint you and use you mightily for his glory.
jrs362(at)hotmail(dot)com - September 06, 2009 11:55 PM
- Christina Tarabochia said...
Lori, I guess I need to stock up on ice cream and keep a fan happy. :) I like the way you think!
Thanks for being interested, all of you!
And thanks, squiresj, for the early birthday wishes! This is going to be one amazing year. - September 07, 2009 12:09 AM
- windycindy said...
Sounds like a great story line!
I enjoyed this interview very much!
Please enter my name in your book drawing.
Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com - September 07, 2009 6:22 PM
Sounds great. Great interview. Please enter me.Blessings. AprilR
tarenn[at]yahoo[dot]com - September 07, 2009 8:03 PM
Great post! Please enter my name for the book giveaway!
lelou2(at)ymail(dot)com - September 08, 2009 8:45 PM
- Tamara Hart Heiner said...
I can tell this book would pull at my heartstrings. I've been through a similar situation with my husband. I'd love to read this.
- September 09, 2009 7:31 AM
A wonderful review..please add my name to this giveaway...thanks.
karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com - September 11, 2009 12:06 PM
- Erin said...
Count me in please, sounds like a wonderful book!
ellybean (at) connected2christ (dot) com
http://www.connected2christ.com - September 19, 2009 10:32 AM


text:
Land Rover's 2012 Range Rover Evoque knocked us out — every single one of us — with its standout styling, interior accommodations and driving dynamics.
I've spent the better part of 20 years explaining to the uninitiated that Land Rover is a manufacturer's name and Range Rover is a model name. With the introduction of the Range Rover Evoque, three of Land Rover's four models in the U.S. use the Range Rover name. Why did I bother?
Replacing the LR2, the Evoque is a new model, technically a compact SUV unrelated to Land Rover's three midsize vehicles: the flagship Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and LR4.
The Evoque comes in two- and four-door versions. Rather than separate trim levels, each Evoque is available with one of three option packages — Pure, Prestige and Dynamic — that represent different color schemes and interior and exterior design tweaks, along with additional features. Customizable elements include contrasting roof colors, 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels, real wood or metal trim, illuminated doorsill scuff plates and more.
A Stunning Vehicle
In either body style, the Evoque is simply a stunning vehicle that drew as much attention out on the road as any all-new model I've tested. The design says Land Rover, but it's clearly something new, characterized by its rising belt line and a downward-sloping roof that, in many color combinations, appears to float because it's supported by black pillars. The low roofline and squinty windows make it look like a concept car that's escaped from an auto show — or a traditional SUV that's been chopped after purchase.
The roof is roughly eye level for a tall adult, about 5 inches lower than it was on the Evoque's boxier predecessor. The styling suggests an interior compromise, and while there's some, it isn't nearly what I'd expected. With 40.3 inches of headroom — an increase of 0.1 inch — the front seats are roomy enough for someone in the 6-foot-tall range. The only anomaly, which I recognize from the LR2, is the raised platform on which the seats are mounted; I felt my heels bumping up against it during longer drives. This annoyance might be my own peculiarity.
Decent Sight Lines
Despite the squinty side and slotlike rear windows, visibility to the rear is surprisingly good: Rear-quarter windows help you peer into your blind spots, the side mirrors are disproportionately large, and the interior rearview mirror provides a decent accounting of what's behind the Evoque through the short rear window. A backup camera and front and rear sonar parking sensors are standard. If that isn't enough for you, consider one of the option packages that includes the Surround Camera System: It has five cameras, including, most notably, one of the first true rearview cameras on the market. (It's not just a backup camera that comes on when the transmission's in Reverse, this one can display a rear view on the center touch-screen the whole time you're driving forward.)
Though I love the rearview camera idea, objects in the display were definitely closer than they appeared to be. Even with the view zoomed in, the scale was more like that of a side mirror than the realistic portrayal you get from an interior rearview mirror.
The system also includes cameras in the front and under the side mirrors. Unlike similar features from Infiniti and BMW, Land Rover's Surround Camera System doesn't stitch together views of three or four sides of the car to show a single overhead view. The Evoque's rear camera looks straight back, the side ones look down at the curbs and the front ones look toward the front corners for nosing into an intersection or parking space.
The touch-screen menu lets you select which of these views you wish to see at once, and some of them can be zoomed or panned. It's pretty elaborate stuff that's reasonably simple to operate, though some of the touch-screen's other menus are cluttered and a bit slow to react. I'm not a fan of voice activation, but I have to say Land Rover is onto something by putting text of the available commands on the screen each time you press the voice-command button — an excellent training tool.
I was less enthused by the forward view in our test vehicle because it was equipped with the optional Climate Comfort Package's heated windshield. As I've noted about previous Land Rovers, this feature embeds fine squiggly heater wires in the windshield glass that produce halos around street lights and oncoming headlights. A conventional forced-air windshield defroster is standard, so I could live without the experience of a cut-rate Lasik procedure. Sadly, because of the feature packaging, to get rid of it I'd have to sacrifice the heated front seats and steering wheel, too … .
Comfort & Quality
Along with comfortable seats, the Evoque has an admirably comfortable ride; elsewhere, sport-oriented models like the Acura RDX, BMW X3 and Infiniti EX35 populate the small luxury SUV class. Luxury used to be about comfort; the Evoque still is, at least more than many competitors. Land Rover also offers an optional Adaptive Dynamic Package that includes an adaptive suspension, but the Evoque's ride was so comfortable I had to check the window stickers to confirm that my test vehicles didn't have the feature.
I tested base and loaded four-door Evoques. I found the entry-level interior quality to be pretty good, but not exceptional. The dashboard is covered in a synthetic material that's padded but has an odd, rough texture and unconvincing stitching. (If it's real stitching, that's an even bigger failure.) Leather seats are standard, though, and if you want to throw more money at your Land Rover dealer, you can deck out the Evoque's interior to rival the other Range Rover models: leather-wrapped dashboard, perforated or "premium" leather, pedal finishers, dual video screens for the backseat and more.
The optional backseat video system includes two wireless headsets and an elaborate touch-screen remote control that recharges when docked in the back of the center console. Cool stuff.
Snug Backseat
The backseat is snug, no doubt about it. Adults will sit with their knees raised. In exchange, they get adequate headroom: 39.7 inches in the four-door, which is a 0.3-inch increase over the LR2. Compared with the two-door, or coupe, the four-door provides 1.2 inches more headroom in front. In the rear, there's 1.5 inches more headroom and 2 inches more shoulder room.
What's remarkable is how roomy our test vehicles seemed thanks to the standard glass roof. More than simply a panoramic moonroof, the Evoque's roof is a fixed skylight comprising almost the entire ceiling surface. To backseat passengers, it's as close as one comes to being in a convertible without actually being exposed.
It's definitely more cavelike with the powered shade closed. (The shade is fabric, but it's also opaque, so it doesn't contribute to the greenhouse effect, as some mesh screens do.)
Small Engine, Big Power
Also new is a 240-horsepower, turbocharged direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which moves the Evoque with authority, exhibiting little of the lag for which turbos were long dismissed. No one in his right mind would take the LR2's gravely five-cylinder over this. Aside from scooting the Evoque to 60 mph in roughly 7 seconds, it boosts EPA-estimated mileage to 18/28 mpg city/highway on premium gas, up from 15/22 mpg in the LR2.
The six-speed automatic transmission is pretty well-behaved, with only occasional hesitation, typically in Drive mode. Calibrated for high mileage, the Drive mode allows the engine to run at very low rpm while cruising, which sometimes produces a slight vibration. The automatic Sport mode keeps the engine clear of this near-lugging condition and isn't a bad choice for normal driving, as some hair-trigger Sport modes are. Drivers can also shift manually using paddles on the steering wheel.
Respect the Knob
I'll be the first to bemoan the move away from conventional gear-selector levers and toward all variety of electronic switches that forfeit the tried-and-true convention, but I'll defend the Evoque's rotary knob as one of the best alternatives. Borrowed from Jaguar, the knob rises when you start the car. Once it does, you can operate it without looking down: Rotate three clicks clockwise for Drive, two back for Reverse, etc. The latest shifter abominations from BMW and others are a recipe for a wrong-way mishap.
The standard all-wheel drive is a smart system, and the only complaint I have is that it doesn't seem to apportion more torque to the rear wheels than to the fronts as a default. As a result, it doesn't enter or exit aggressive corners with the balance it could, but the Evoque otherwise handles very well. You forget how small it is until you toss it about, turn a tight circle or park it. At 3,680 pounds of curb weight, it's a remarkable 575 pounds lighter than the LR2.
The standard Terrain Response system allows even novice drivers to optimize the Evoque for foul weather or off-road scenarios by matching an icon setting to whatever they see out their window. I didn't drive the Evoque off-road, but it's likely to outperform most compact SUVs in such scenarios.
Cargo & Towing
Headroom may have improved in the Evoque, but you pay for its squat design in cargo volume. The LR2 had 26.7 cubic feet behind the backseat and 58.9 cubic feet with the seat folded. The four-door Evoque has 20.3 and 51.0 cubic feet, respectively, and the two-door is smaller still at 19.4 cubic feet and 47.6 cubic feet.
The Evoque's towing capacity is 1,650 pounds for an unbraked trailer and 3,500 pounds for one with brakes.
Like other current Land Rovers, the Evoque hasn't been crash-tested. The brand's low sales volume in the U.S. suggests it never will be. There are seven airbags: two in front, a knee airbag for the driver, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for front occupants and side curtains that protect outboard occupants in the front and rear seats. Standard safety features include the federally required antilock brakes and electronic stability system. Blind spot monitoring is a notable safety option.
That's All?
Review cars awhile and you'll come to recognize a few observations — your own and others' — that are always good omens for a new model. Chief among them is when people say, "That's all?" after you tell them how much it costs. I heard that a lot with the Evoque. To be perfectly clear, the Evoque's price rises quickly and steeply once you add options, and a loaded model hits around $61,000. But the two attributes I consider to be the Evoque's highest points — its styling and ride quality — come at the base price of $43,145.
Land Rover missed an opportunity by failing to bring its compact car-based SUV, the Freelander, to the U.S. in the late 1990s. By the time it went on sale here in 2002, there were roomier and cheaper car-based alternatives. The LR2 has done little to light fires since 2008. With the 2012 Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover has made up for lost time. It looks like a winner.
Starting MSRP $43,145–$44,145
City: 18
Highway: 28
Available Engines
240-hp, 2.0-liter I-4 (premium)
6-speed automatic w/OD and auto-manual
New or Notable
• New compact luxury crossover for 2012
• Two- and four-door versions
• Turbo four-cylinder power
• Six-speed automatic
• Permanent all-wheel drive
What We Like
• Appealing design
• Premium interior
• Surprisingly roomy cabin
What We Don't
• Narrow cargo area
• Sleek styling may limit visibility
• High starting price


text:
STRATFORD, Texas, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Texas police officer Robert Powell has gotten a new job after being fired for stopping NFL player Ryan Moats from seeing his mother-in-law before she died.
Stratford Police Chief Winston Dennis said while the former Dallas police officer made a mistake by stopping Moats as the Houston Texans player was racing to visit his dying mother-in-law, Powell deserved a second chance, WFAA-TV of Dallas/Fort Worth reported Thursday.
"Officer Powell made a mistake," Dennis said of the March incident. "We all agree it could have been handled differently. But was it a bad enough mistake to say he should never be a cop again? And I think the answer's no."
Moats was rushing to the hospital in early March when Powell stopped him in the hospital parking lot. The officer prevented the running back from entering the hospital in time to meet with his mother-in-law before her death despite pleas from the NFL player, his wife and nurses.
WFAA said the incident ultimately led to Powell's resignation from the Dallas police force in April following an apology for the officer's actions from Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle.


text:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris spoke at a criminal justice forum at a historically black college on Saturday after a group that honored President Donald Trump with an award was removed as the event sponsor.
Organizers at Benedict College in Columbia say the candidate forum in which Harris and other Democratic presidential candidates were speaking was considered separate from the event in which Trump was honored a day earlier, renaming the event and replacing signage from the venue with that of the college.
RELATED: Trump Honored At HBCU But Few Students Attend
The group, 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center, however, continued to claim through Twitter that it was still the sponsor of the event, advertising Harris' appearance and tweeting photos of her onstage with captions indicating she was still participating in their event.
Several other Democrats appeared onstage, including presidential candidate Cory Booker. The New Jersey senator congratulated the college on its decision to remove the Justice Center as event sponsor — even as the group itself posted a photo of Booker speaking , continuing its claim to the event.
The forum was reconfigured after Harris withdrew late Friday citing a lack of access for students at the historically black college and frustration over organizers' decision to give Trump its Bipartisan Justice Award, in part for his work on the First Steps Act.
Soon after, the city's mayor, Steve Benjamin, told The Associated Press that he would organize an alternative event, working with Benedict officials to coordinate what was renamed as the Collegiate Bipartisan Presidential Forum, which he hosted.
Organizers of the original event did not respond to questions from The Associated Press as to their involvement with Saturday's events, hanging up when a reporter asked them for on-the-record comment.
The Harris campaign said in a statement that, despite the group's claims, Harris spoke with the understanding that she was participating in the new forum. "In no way, shape, or form is Kamala Harris interested in affiliating or associating with a group that would honor Trump in this way."
Trump, in tweets Saturday, cited low unemployment numbers for African Americans and a criminal justice overhaul that he signed into law as examples of achievements "more than Kamala will EVER be able to do for African Americans!" The president routinely cites low unemployment figures and a criminal justice bill he signed into law as examples of efforts on behalf of black Americans.


text:
Learning memory could help tomorrow's intelligent computers
As researchers try to build more complex computers that get closer to emulating the way the human brain works, one of the areas of focus is memory.
Existing chips, hard disks and tape drives are great at storing large amounts of data, but a new breed of memory chip called a memristor could go a step further: helping the artificial intelligence systems of tomorrow actually understand the data and make more use of it.
Memristors could help computers connect the dots to identify diseases or help self-driving cars recognise objects based on probabilities and associations. Memristors are best used in machine-learning models to make predictions based on patterns and trends culled from large stacks of information, said Alex Nugent, CEO of Knowm.
Knowm is a New Mexico-based Start-up and one of the companies working on memristor technology. Its memristors are designed around human brains, in which a synapse that connects two neurons gets stronger the more often a signal is passed. Similarly, the learning and retention of information on Knowm memristor circuits are determined by data flow characteristics and the current.
Knowm does not yet have a fully functional memristor chip. But it has introduced prototype test kits for researchers and academics on which its memristor design can be emulated. Knowm's test kit will include a chip with analogue and digital circuits, software packages and algorithms.
Knowm's current memristor is a "learning processor" that works alongside CPUs, GPUs and other processors, Nugent said.
The company is going up against some big competitors, including HP.
HP plans to use them in a new type of computer called The Machine. It believes memristors could potentially replace both storage and memory in computers and is partnering with SanDisk to make the components. SanDisk says memristors could be 1,000 times faster and durable than flash storage.
Nugent believes memristors will lead to new computers that are better at learning and extracting intelligence from data patterns. Machine-learning is possible on today's computers, but it is not efficient and draws a lot of power, Nugent said.
It could be many years until the first chips based on Knowm's architecture appear in commercial products. The Start-up is being funded through equity investment and government grant programs, and will receive more equity funding from an undisclosed partner in the coming months.
Agam Shah, IDG News Service


text:
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Cutie and the Boxer
A reflection on love, sacrifice, and the creative spirit, this candid New York story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of renowned "boxing" painter Ushio Shinohara and his artist wife, Noriko. As a rowdy, confrontational young artist in Tokyo, Ushio seemed destined for fame, but met with little commercial success after he moved to New York City in 1969, seeking international recognition. When 19-year-old Noriko moved to New York to study art, she fell in love with Ushio, abandoning her education to become the wife and assistant to an unruly, alcoholic husband. Over the course of their marriage, the roles have shifted. Now 80, Ushio struggles to establish his artistic legacy, while Noriko is at last being recognized for her own art - a series of drawings entitled "Cutie," depicting her challenging past with Ushio. Spanning four decades, CUTIE AND THE BOXER is a moving portrait of a couple wrestling with the eternal themes of sacrifice, disappointment and aging, against a background of lives dedicated to art.
Noriko Shinohara, Ushio Shinohara, Ethan Cohen
Zachary Heinzerling


text:
We are pleased you are interested in the Faculty for Chemistry and Pharmacy at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University!
Our Faculty has embarked upon innovative, future-oriented teaching methods which produced the first graduates of the new Pharmaceutical Sciences and Bachelor and Master of Chemistry program. The Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry also have established the Römer Foundation which honors the best graduates and researchers at an annual ceremony.
Research successfully conducted over the past two years can be viewed in our bi-annual Research Report. One aspect of this is the creation of the Excellence Cluster named "Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM)", which brings together life scientists from multiple research institutions in Munich.
Many Faculty members have been recipients of internationally renowned awards such as the Leibniz Prize of the German Research Society (DFG). Our Faculty now boasts five recipients of that prize, and we have undertaken to attract outstanding German researchers working in the United States. Third-party funding has been boosted by the establishment of a second, DFG-financed special research area which deals with dynamic chemical processes.


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The Village of Park Forest uses various forms of assistance and development incentives for the following purposes:
- Attracting new businesses to the village
- Helping existing businesses expand
- Helping start-up businesses get underway
These incentives are designed to help the village achieve the long-term goals of expanding the property and sales tax base, providing new jobs to village residents, and providing for the enhancement of the quality of life in the community while at the same time meeting the legitimate cost concerns of companies locating or expanding in a specific location.
Incentives are available directly from the following bodies:
When appropriate, the village will work with a qualified business to assist them in obtaining non-village incentives. Village incentives are negotiated case-by-case basis, with consideration given to the type of company and the location within the village. Incentives may include the following benefits:
- Enterprise Zone
- Infrastructure improvements
- Property tax relief
- Sale tax refunds
- Tax increment financing (where available)
Any business interested in pursuing a development incentive from the village, or other governmental entity, should seek information about the incentive as early in the planning process as possible. Many of these incentives are granted on a "but for" basis. In other words, the incentive is only granted if the business can demonstrate that "but for" the incentive, the project could not proceed. Therefore, in many cases, if any work is initiated on the project prior to the approval of an incentive, the property owner may disqualify themselves from that incentive.
Access the following documents for more information:


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iPhone 5 Glitches, Secrets, and Scratches Found Since Launch
Following launch, some find scratches and hidden features of the iPhone 5.
Sept. 24, 2012 — -- Millions of people pulled their brand new iPhone 5s from its clean packaging this weekend, and while a new larger, lighter and faster phone greeted them, some also discovered some unadvertised features.
Within hours after it went on sale on Friday, many new iPhone 5 owners began reporting issues and secrets about their new phones.
Firstly, many Verizon iPhone owners were pleasantly surprised to find that their phones were able to work on AT&T's network. All they had to do was swap out the nano-SIM card in the new iPhone 5 for an AT&T SIM. In the past, Apple had been rigorous about limiting the phone to specific networks.
While most who buy the iPhone 5 from Verizon still have to agree to two years of service with the carrier, this means they won't have to buy a new phone if they want to switch after the contract expires. Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney confirmed to ABC News that the phones were in fact "unlocked for 3G GSM roaming in the U.S." The phone can also be used overseas with either Verizon's own roaming plans or by using another SIM card.
However, other iPhone buyers weren't thrilled with another discovery: that the back aluminum plate on their phones was slightly scratched. "Just opened my iPhone 5. I have two nicks at the very top. Disappointed," a user wrote on Apple's support page.
Over the weekend many took to Twitter and Facebook and tech forum sites to share photos of very small nicks on the backs of their new phones. Under the hashtag #scuffgate, some shared photos and videos of the scratches. According to AllThingsD, Apple customer service has gotten many complaints about the issue since the launch.
Small software glitches have also been reported and have been detailed on Apple's support forum pages. Apple did not respond to ABC News' request for comment on the scratch issue.
Apple has faced criticism for glitches in its Map app in iOS 6. The new app, which replaces Google Maps, has misplaced some towns and displayed other geographic errors.
None of this is unusual for a product launch. When 5 million phones are sold within three days, they're bound to be intensely scrutinized.
"It is hard to explain this deep scrutiny and how Apple appears to be under the microscope, and in fact Apple products being under the microscope -- literally to see if they are scratched," Michael Gartenberg, Gartner Research Director, told ABC News.
"It goes to show the overall consumer fascination with Apple and why their products continue to sell very, very well. It seems everything the company does will be analyzed, scrutinized, and talked about to death."


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Phillip Jennings runs a travel agency with his wife Elizabeth. They've got two kids. They live in a quiet suburb of Washington, D.C. circa 1981. Like so many two-career couples, it can be a struggle to juggle career and family life.
KERI RUSSELL: (As Elizabeth Jennings) If this goes bad, you need to be out of town somewhere with the kids. Get the kids to Canada. Contact the rezidentura there.
MATTHEW RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) That's fine, but you have it backwards. I'll meet the colonel, you take the kids, get ready to move.
SIMON: You see, Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings are KGB agents embedded in the heart of America in the FX series "The Americans," now in its second season and an international sensation. Keri Russell plays Elizabeth. And Phillip, who's always putting on disguises, is portrayed by a Welshman playing a Russian who plays an American, Matthew Rhys, who joins us now from New York. Thanks so much for being with us.
RHYS: Thank you for having me.
SIMON: This is a question that seems to renew itself almost every episode. How can Phillip be such a tender and loving father and do the brutal things he does?
RHYS: For me, personally, from where I approach it now is that the back story is very important to me as to who these people were. And from a very tender early age Phillip, you know, and Elizabeth were plucked by the party and indoctrinated and then put into the field. And they had children in order to strengthen their American identities.
And I think very early on Phillip's primary goal in life is the protection of his children. And I think, with the past two seasons, we've seen that he has this growing concern for their future. And with each mission or with each sort of violent act that he has to accomplish himself, it's always for the survival of his children. He now has to be the best he can be in order to secure their livelihoods, to keep them safe.
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) What did Moscow say?
RUSSELL: (As Elizabeth Jennings) I didn't get the signal. The kids were up. I didn't want to leave them downstairs.
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) OK. Let's just see what Moscow knows. You want to make the drop? Get out on the street a little? I can listen to the numbers.
SIMON: You sound as authentically American as - you know, you hear that voice and you ask - you want to ask where's your horse, partner?
RHYS: (Laughing) I think you struck the nail on the head there. That's - you know, it's a childhood of growing up watching American Westerns. As children growing up in Wales, we would go out into very wet, rain trodden fields and play American cowboys and try to affect these terrible John Wayne-esque accents.
SIMON: (Laughing).
RHYS: And that's where it begins, at the age of 6 trying to be the Duke in the shadow of a green mountain.
SIMON: The show's creator and producer Joe Weisberg...
RHYS: Joe Weisberg, yeah.
SIMON: He used to work for the CIA.
RHYS: He did. He did.
SIMON: But do you have any idea if he was a spy or just some guy who sat at a desk or...
RHYS: He - now my head is worrying as to, (laughing), what I'm allowed to say.
SIMON: Well, we don't want to get him in trouble.
RHYS: (Laughing) I know, I know. But, yes, he was...
SIMON: Break his cover story.
RHYS: I'll tell you this much, he certainly wasn't someone who was sitting at a desk or being trained or primed to be someone behind a desk. But in that amazing way, someone - with no discredit to him - someone you would look at and as he, you know, confesses himself, can blend very easily. He's not the sort of 6-foot Sean Connery-type in a tuxedo.
SIMON: Mr. Rhys, I don't know if you want the producer of your show to hear that you don't think he looks like Sean Connery.
RHYS: As soon as I was saying that, I going - this is going down the wrong part.
RHYS: I hope this can be edited heavily. Otherwise the third season will be called "The American," starring Keri Russell.
SIMON: She's terrific by the way.
RHYS: She is.
SIMON: And could handle it. We should note that the scripts have to be vetted by the CIA because of Joe Weisberg's former employment. At first I thought, well, they must be putting their stamp on things. But the more I think about it - the CIA would have no problem with the FBI being shown as being incompetent.
RHYS: (Laughing) Yeah, in fact, they don't sort of send back, you know, notes about national security. They just send back notes attacking the FBI for their incompetence or congratulating Mr. Weisberg on his accurate portrayal of the Federal Bureau.
SIMON: (Laughing) Well, it can be exhausting to watch the Jennings.
SIMON: On any given day.
RHYS: Yes.
SIMON: So, you know, they run this small travel agency in Dupont Circle, but on any given day they take pictures of a secret facility, they have to kidnap an Israeli agent, they come home, make school lunches and tuck their kids into bed.
RHYS: Yes.
SIMON: I mean, talk about multitasking.
RHYS: I know. And, you know, I think we're very aware that we're asking the audience to come on a flight of fantasy with us. However, the flipside of that is there - so much of what we do or the storylines are absolutely based on truth, which is, you know, frightening.
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) What do you want.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) You, Mr. Jennings. We want you.
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) My name's not Jennings.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Phillip Jennings, 39. Wife - Elizabeth. Children - Paige and Henry. Runs Dupont Circle Travel. Seems to be out late at night quite a bit. Lives across the street from an FBI agent. Also, the details of his life before 1963 seem to be a bit hazy.
SIMON: Does Phillip like America more than Elizabeth does?
RHYS: Yes is the short quick answer, for the reasons which make such beautiful conflict between them as a relationship. I think it's Phillips background growing up in post-second World War Soviet Union, where there was incredible hardship and poverty. The trappings, be it capitalist or materialistic, in the United States for Philip are incredibly attractive.
And coupled with the fact that to remain the ardent agent that Elizabeth is, were he to do the same, I think it would come at a cost to the family, therefore he's the alkali to her acid sometimes in trying to balance the fact that they might not possibly make it a long term career and it might be fruitful for them to get out sooner rather than later.
SIMON: Is it considered a complement if someone tells you I never thought I could root for a couple of murderous KGB agents the way a root for Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings?
RHYS: It really is. I mean, if I'm perfectly honest, it's a great testament to the writing, that they've set up the antiheroes. And what I enjoy is when - if someone approaches to talk about the show, they say - I enjoy it when they say they're especially conflicted about where their loyalties lie.
HOLLY TAYLOR: (As Paige Jennings) Dad, do you really have to go?
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) Three new agencies opened up in the last month. The one around the corner is offering inclusive packages.
TAYLOR: (As Paige Jennings) What's inclusive packages?
RUSSELL: (As Elizabeth Jennings) It's where they give you all your food, airfare, hotel and you just pay once and then you forgot about it.
TAYLOR: (As Paige Jennings) Oh.
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) Problem is we have to figure out a way to keep up or we're going to be wiped out.
TAYLOR: (As Paige Jennings) Would it help if we came to work with you on the weekends?
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) No, it's not that bad.
RUSSELL: (As Elizabeth Jennings) No, he's exaggerating. Come here.
RHYS: (As Phillip Jennings) Bye, team.
TAYLOR: (As Paige Jennings) Bye, dad.
RHYS: It's a real testament to the writing whereby they bring the humanity out in Phillip and Elizabeth. And we're not cold and callous - you know, we can be - but there's real depth to their humanity and there's really insecurity and fear and everything else that rounds them in a more complete human way, which I think makes for interesting television.
SIMON: Matthew Rhys, who stars with Keri Russell in FX's "The Americans," now its second season. Thanks so much for joining us.
RHYS: Thank you very much for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Everyday miracles: Blind luck, spiritual moments and awakenings
831 42nd Street
Des Moines, IA 50312
02/06/2018 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM CST
Add Event to CalendarYou're invited to the "Des Moines Storytellers Project: Everyday Miracles" event, presented by the Des Moines Register and sponsored by Mediacom! Enjoy stories from when local and notable storytellers experienced "blind luck, spiritual moments and awakenings."
The Storytellers Project is a series of live storytelling nights. USA TODAY NETWORK newsrooms, including the Des Moines Register, curate and host nights of true, first-person stories from neighbors and notables. The Register's award-winning journalists help community members to draw out authentic, personal experiences and hone them into engaging dialogue.
Since its founding in 2016, more than 90 community members have taken the stage to share their stories with over 4,500 audience members.
Event details
Doors open at 5 p.m. and show begins at 5:30 p.m.
A second show will be presented at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are valid for their assigned show only. All ticket sales are final and cannot be refunded or exchanged.
Drinks and light snacks will be available for purchase during the show.
Ticket options
Des Moines Register members can unlock a 20% discount on tickets through Insider, our member loyalty program. Visit DesMoinesRegister.com/insider to unlock your perk.
Meet the host
Hosts for each show will be announced in 2018.
Meet the storytellers
Storytellers will be announced a few weeks before the show.
Wear your favorite stories! Browse our collection of T-shirts, tote bags, notebooks and more at ShopDMRegister.com/Storytellers.
The 2018 Storytellers Project
Enjoy an entire season of storytelling! Tickets for all 2018 events are on sale now. Shows are known to sell out, so consider purchasing tickets early.
Listen to past stories and learn more about the Des Moines Storytellers Project by visiting DesMoinesRegister.com/Storytellers.
Interested in telling your story at a future event? Email firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
If you have questions about the event or need assistance with tickets, please email email@example.com or call 515-619-6548.
Information collected through ticket sales is used in accordance with our privacy policy.


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Trust is returning to business partnerships. Suppliers are increasingly granting credit to their customers, according to the latest monthly report by the National Association of Credit Management (NACM).
For the manufacturing industry in particular, the NACM says credit access for trade customers has returned to prerecession levels. Indeed, the association, which surveys about 1,000 trade credit managers in the second half of each month, believes that credit availability has recently made a "startling improvement." The NACM's indicator for the amount of credit extended in the combined manufacturing and services sectors jumped from 61.7 in December to 64.8 in January (see chart below). That's the highest level for this indicator — one of 10 factors making up the association's monthly credit managers' index — since January 2007.
Part of the reason for suppliers' loosening up is that their bankers are extending them more credit as well, notes Chris Kuehl, the NACM's economic analyst. Manufacturers tend to receive more leeway from their lenders during the beginning of an economic recovery since they can post collateral against their loans, he adds, unlike some of the other businesses the NACM categorizes as services, such as transportation.
Moreover, suppliers don't want to risk losing sales to more-trusting competitors. Unlike the all-too-recent past when credit was shut down from all sides, suppliers are now more willing to give credit because they fear that another company will get the business if they don't offer a financing option. "Everyone has been waiting and looking at each other to see who will go first," says Kuehl.
Still, as with other positive economic indictors, small businesses may be the last to feel this change. Only 5% of small-business owners saw their suppliers' trade-credit policies eased last year, according to a report by the National Federation of Independent Business released on Wednesday.
Other measurements in the NACM's report further show that companies are poised for growth. The overall credit managers' index score of 56.4 for January is at a level that signals "more rapid expansion in the near future," the trade association says. An index reading above 50 indicates the economy is in growth mode. The nine-year-old index hit its lowest point, 39.7, in January 2009.
Also for January, the NACM found that creditors are rejecting fewer applications and have had to move fewer of their accounts to collections. Sales and new credit applications have recently slid, but the NACM says the numbers are still decent and reflect a normal slowdown during this time of year.


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A scandal unfolding in Denmark over the transfer of Iraqi prisoners by Danish forces to Iraq authorities, even as they knew they would be tortured, threatens to implicate the current Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen, formerly prime minister of Denmark from 2001-2009.
The defense ministry in the government of former Prime Minister Rasmussen is charged with withholding its knowledge of Iraqi torture from legislators when a copy of a 2004 inspection at Al Makil prison in Basra was sent to Parliament.
Yet, three months before the prison inspection, in May 2004, during a debate in the Danish Parliament concerning Iraqi prisoners, according to the paper Dagbladet Information (English translation here), then-Prime Minister Rasmussen said the government would "disclose information about torture, if the government becomes aware that it occurs." But evidently, this did not occur.
According to The Copenhagen Post, a Danish English-language daily, the July 2004 investigation by Danish Army legal adviser Maj. Kurt Borgkvist revealed that "prisoners in Iraqi prisons had been burned with cigarettes, had their molars crushed and been beaten around their genitals. Some were even missing fingers, Borgkvist reported." The resulting report included photographic evidence, which has been described as "Abu Ghraib-lignende" ("Abu Ghraib-like") by the previous Danish defense minister.
Rasmussen, leader of Denmark's Liberal Party, resigned as prime minister in April 2009 in order to accept a position as NATO's secretary general. Most recently, he was an outspoken supporter of NATO's military support to the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime in Libya. Last November, the Liberal Party and its coalition partners lost power for the first time in almost a decade, losing to a coalition led by the Social Democrats. Rasmussen was also a key supporter of the US campaign to go to war in Iraq in 2003, ironically citing in a UN address Iraqi violations of international anti-torture treaties.
The scandal first arose in 2010 from documents released by WikiLeaks in the "Iraq War Logs." A November 2010 article at Ice News reported how a memo released by WikiLeaks described an inquiry by "a Danish Defence Ministry official" regarding "what happened at the American Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq after media reports of torture and abuse in 2003." Subsequently, "Danish soldiers continued to hand over prisoners to the facility, however, even after the torture was officially confirmed several months later."
"'That Denmark didn't intervene in time simply shows that someone must have stopped the criticism at the political level', said Social Democratic Defense Spokesman John Dyrby Paulsen. 'That is also why we want an inquiry into all of this', he added."
An October 2010 story in Dagbladet Information noted that "coalition forces share military reports" and "the Danish military has also had access to accounts on Iraqi police methods," indicating that all the coalition forces, Denmark included, "had knowledge of the situation which was consistent with several highly critical warnings from organizations such as The International Red Cross and Human Rights Watch."
A government commission into Denmark's involvement in the Iraq war is expected later this year. The last Danish forces left Iraq last November.
The WikiLeaks logs also revealed that Danish forces in Iraq had been involved in turning greater numbers of prisoners over to the Iraqis than the Danish government had previously revealed.
According to a report at WikiLeaks Press, former Danish Defense Minister Søren Gade previously told the Danish Parliament that Danish troops had only 21 prisoners. But according to the leaked "War Logs," "the actual number of prisoners taken in the period at a minimum of 95. Of these, 62 were handed over to Iraqi authorities, who were well known to be carrying out torture in Iraqi prisons." In reply, the Defense Ministry "argued that the reason for the great disparity between the reported number of prisoners was due to the fact that many of the prisoners had been captured by British troops and that the Danish troops therefore could not be held accountable."
But recent revelations have seen the number of prisoners actually handed over has grown from a later admitted 200 to a reported 500 or more. The higher number surfaced in a memorandum from Defense Chief Gen. Knud Bartels to the new Defense Minister Nick Hækkerup. (Bartels, himself, has recently assumed the position of NATO's Military Committee chairman.)
In a January 2 article, The Copenhagen Post reported that Denmark's former Defense Minister Søren Gade would be called as a witness in an upcoming trial, stemming from a lawsuit by six Iraqis who were arrested in winter 2004 by Danish forces supporting the US-led coalition forces in Iraq. The prisoners were turned over to Iraqi forces and subsequently tortured.
As the Post notes, "According to international law, soldiers may not deliver prisoners of war to another authority they suspect of mistreating or torturing prisoners." This international prohibition is written into the UN Convention Against Torture, which states that no signatory to the treaty can return or refoule any person to a state authority "where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture."
In a January 5 editorial, the Post insisted that "ordering soldiers to turn a blind eye to the likely mistreatment of detainees amounts to a cold-blooded disregard for the well-being of others." The paper called for the Danish military to cooperate with any investigations, "even if that means allowing top brass, former ministers or senior statesmen to be felled in the process."
A further dimension to the scandal concerns not only the number of prisoners involved, but also the ways the Danes tried to hide their culpability.
The Bartels letter to Hækkerup also described, according to Politiken, how "'in a few cases' Iraqi prisoners were illegally handed over to Iraqi authorities and that in many cases Danish troops avoided defence directives by letting British troops detain Iraqis during joint missions in order to avoid responsibility."
The controversy over handing over prisoners to be tortured by Iraqi forces has not been limited to Denmark. Indeed, after the release of the WikiLeaks "Iraq War Logs," numerous reports of such transfers of prisoners, despite knowledge of torture practices, were published in the British and US press.
According to the publication of one of the "Iraq War Logs" by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, in at least one case, a US military interrogator threatened a prisoner with being turned over to the notorious Iraqi Wolf Brigade, "where he would be subject to all the pain and agony that the wolf battalion is known to exact upon its detainees."
Similar charges of coalition forces turning prisoners over for torture in Afghanistan have also raised controversy. Last September, NATO announced it was suspending many such transfers after years of reports of torture by Afghan security and military personnel.
The Obama administration has pointedly refused to initiate any investigations into US torture, while the British government has announced formation of a government commission to look into the torture charges. The British commission, which has yet to begin its work, has been boycotted by human rights groups, who describe the commission as "toothless" and lacking "meaningful, independent" review.
NATO headquarters did not return a request for comment as of press time. In addition, attempts to verify details of "Iraq War Logs" information were stymied by what appears to be an Internet-wide suppression of the formerly available documents.
Editor's note: This report has been updated to correct the date of Anders Fogh Rasmussen's resignation and the titles of two Danish news publications.


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Supreme Court upholds Michigan ban on affirmative action
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court dealt another blow to affirmative action Tuesday, upholding the decision of Michigan voters — and by implication similar bans in California and six other states — to forbid the use of race as a factor in deciding who is admitted to state universities.
In a 6-2 ruling, the court brushed aside claims that such bans amounted to discrimination against minorities, ending constitutional challenges to the state ballot measures.
The states that have prohibited affirmative action at public colleges and universities have generally experienced similar results: The percentage of African American and Latino students at the most selective campuses has declined.
Supporters of affirmative action say that shows some level of racial preference is needed to ensure campus diversity. Opponents contend that those preferences perpetuate racial divisions in society, and that other measures, such as preferences based on family income, could more effectively ensure diversity.
The court's majority has been steadily skeptical of admissions policies that evaluate students based on race. Although justices have not forbidden such practices, they had little trouble deciding that a state's voters could set a strict rule against "preferential treatment" based on race.
"This case is not about how the debate about racial preferences should be resolved," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said for the court. "It is about who may resolve it. There is no authority in the Constitution of the United States or in this court's precedents for the judiciary to set aside Michigan laws that commit this policy determination to the voters."
In a vehement dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor faulted her colleagues for what she said was their "refusal to accept the stark reality that race matters."
The Constitution does not "give the majority free rein to erect selective barriers against racial minorities," she said, reading her dissent aloud in court. She cited a brief from the University of California chancellors reporting on the drop in the percentage of African American and Latino students at UC Berkeley and UCLA.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who joined Kennedy's opinion, chided Sotomayor for the tone and content of her dissent. "It is not 'out of touch with reality' to conclude that racial preferences may themselves have the debilitating effect of reinforcing precisely that doubt [that minority students sometimes feel about themselves] and — if so — that the preferences do more harm than good."
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. also agreed with Kennedy, while Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas did so in a separate opinion.
Justice Stephen G. Breyer, who had in the past voted to uphold affirmative action as constitutional, voted with the majority Tuesday to uphold Michigan's ban. "I continue to believe that the Constitution permits, though it does not require, the use of the kind of race-conscious programs that are now barred by the Michigan Constitution," he said.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed with Sotomayor, while Justice Elena Kagan sat out the case.
The Michigan law, adopted on a 58%-to-42% vote in 2006, says public colleges and universities "shall not discriminate or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color or national operation." The wording was copied from California's Proposition 209, which voters approved in 1996.
Besides Michigan and California, affirmative action admissions policies have been banned by voters in Arizona, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Washington and by state officials in Florida and New Hampshire.
The University of California system has adopted several recruiting and admissions measures to work around the state's prohibition. But enrollment of African Americans has not completely rebounded at UC's two most competitive campuses from the sharp dips that occurred after the ban took effect. In a brief filed last summer supporting the challenge to the Michigan ban, UC administrators said California's higher education system lacked the ethnic diversity that reflected the state's population. Some use of affirmative action would help, they said.
At UCLA, African American freshmen from California represented 7.1% of the class in 1995, declined to 3.5% three years later, and constituted 4.9% this year, according to UC statistics. At UC Berkeley, in-state African Americans made up 6.3% of freshmen in 1995, 3.6% in 1998 and 3.8% this year.
The in-state Latino share of UCLA's freshmen was 21.5% in 1995, dropped to 10.4% by 1998 and has climbed to 25.8% this year, UC records show. Berkeley's Latinos from California went from 15.5% of freshmen to 7.3% after the proposition went fully into effect and is up to 17% this year.
The hot-button nature of the issue was evident recently in legislative action around a proposed constitutional amendment to overturn California's ban. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), passed the state Senate in January before Democrats lost their supermajority. But the effort attracted a vocal backlash from Asian Americans, who feared that their children would lose spaces at UC. Last month, Hernandez withdrew his measure and legislative leaders announced they would delay future consideration of it.
In the California State University system, 37% of those admitted for the 2012-13 academic year were Latino. That compares with about 23% in 1997-98. The number of African Americans admitted fell from nearly 8% in 1997-98 to 4.5% in 2012-13.
The Michigan ballot measure was triggered by the high court's last ruling endorsing an affirmative action policy, involving the University of Michigan Law School. The 5-4 decision written by then-Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2003 said the policy could be upheld because it focused on individual applicants and did not set quotas or numerical goals.
But it prompted critics of the affirmative action policy to take their case to the voters, leading to the 2006 ballot measure.
The battle then moved back to federal court. Two groups that support affirmative action sued, contending that the state ban discriminated against minorities. They cited Supreme Court precedents from the 1970s and 1980s that frowned upon state efforts to retreat from accepted remedies for discrimination.
In 1982, for example, the court struck down a measure in Washington state that ended a Seattle busing program. At the time, the court said the state was not permitted to block a widely used tool to combat segregation.
Citing the Seattle case, a panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati struck down the Michigan ban. The full court split, 8 to 7, sending the issue to the Supreme Court.
Times staff writers Larry Gordon and Carla Rivera in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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